


What You Give

by jendavis



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Schmoop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-11-07
Updated: 2010-11-07
Packaged: 2017-10-13 02:56:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/132049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jendavis/pseuds/jendavis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Teyla and Rodney almost notice some things.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What You Give

**Author's Note:**

> This is for rubygirl29 's request: "I'm wondering if anybody notice that in "Runner" Ronon has a rather gruesome trophy on his necklace (is that the word I'm looking for?) At some point, the wraith fingerbones are gone. What happened to them?" Well, here it is, blink and you'll miss it. :)

By the time Teyla makes it back to the table with more napkins, she is mildly concerned to see Torren tugging at Ronon's necklaces. If Ronon's aware of it, he doesn't let on. He's still listening to Kanaan's description of the new hunting grounds, and both of them seem to be ignoring the fact that Torren has found that wraith bones fit easily into his mouth. Teyla doesn't know if she should worry, or laugh.

Kanaan doesn't break his narration as he takes the napkins from her and starts mopping up the mess. As Teyla retrieves Torren from Ronon's lap and the necklace drops wetly against Ronon's shirt, she realizes that he's only wearing the one. It's the tooth of some animal he had hunted long ago, but the bones from his first wraith kill are nowhere to be seen.

She does not ask him what has happened that he no longer wears the trophy. She does not assume it is because of the choking hazard it represents.

If he no longer wished to wear it, his reasons were surely personal. If the necklace had been lost, Teyla doesn't want to remind him of the fact, not now. Because at this moment, Torren is wriggling on her lap, Kanaan is joking, and Ronon is laughing. Spills aside, it is as perfect a meal as she can imagine.

She finishes her fruit and glances across the table as Ronon arches back in his chair, arms reaching over his head. There is the sound of something small and metallic hitting the floor, and Ronon leans down, coming up with a coin held between two fingers. He slides it back underneath his leather wristband and glances over at her, grinning a little more widely, before turning back to Kanaan.

"So when are we heading out there?"

\---

Rodney checks the interface again, but he's already certain that this is going to work, he's known it since halfway through his first cup of coffee this morning. Nods to himself, and reaches out to turn the generator on, but he cranes his neck, first. Looks around.

Sheppard is still sitting over on the rock, hands on his P90, squinting out over the valley at nothing in particular. Alert, but calm. Maybe a little bored, and that's when Rodney realizes it.

John's absolutely still, even his hands. He's not fidgeting. Not fiddling with the Velcro on his vest, not drumming his fingers on his knee. Not rolling that coin over his knuckles or tossing it into the air.

He hasn't done that in a while- the coin's been missing in action for weeks now, come to think of it, and John apparently hasn't found anything to replace it. Doesn't look like he needs to, either. The man is- and it takes Rodney a minute to figure this out- but the man looks _content_.

Rodney wants to ask what happened, what's changed, but stops himself. Remembers one night, drinking beer on the pier, when John had tossed it over to him, explaining how he'd decided to take a chance on the Atlantis mission.

John's never admitted to believing in anything so ridiculous as good luck charms, but that doesn't mean anything. Rodney doesn't ask, because it would only encourage the idiocy. Or maybe, worse, John's lost the coin. Lost it to some crack in the ground somewhere.

But if John's not concerned about it, Rodney doesn't have to be, either. The coin is of no importance. Just something John pulls out of his pocket, now and then, to pass the time when he's bored, restless. When there's nothing for him to do, because there's no fighting to be done, orders to be given, or arguments with Ronon to be had. When he's waiting for Teyla to finish her negotiations. Or waiting for Rodney to finish integrating another generator to another offworld shield.

Which, Rodney remembers, he should be doing right now.

"Sheppard! Looks like we're good to go. Powering up."

" _Finally_. Hurry up, I'm starving."

John jumps down from his perch, smiling easily, like he's always been this relaxed, and scratches absently at his chest. Rodney catches a glimpse of leather cord as John's collar is pulled slightly to the side, but doesn't really notice it. Just shakes his head, looks back down to the generator, and turns it on.


End file.
